Everything Dinosaur’s Top Ten of Prehistoric Animals 2012 (Part 1)

From Number 10 to Number 6

It is that time of year when team members at Everything Dinosaur compile a list of the top ten most popular prehistoric animals over the last twelve months or so. We have been busy logging requests for dinosaur fact sheets, drawing materials, views on website pages as well as results from surveys carried out amongst students as a result of our many school visits. All this information has been brought together to produce a list of the ten most popular dinosaurs and other extinct creatures and this is the first part of the countdown from number ten to number six.

10. Dolichorhynchops

The first of the animals featured in our list is not a dinosaur, it is the strange Dolichorhynchops, a marine reptile that swam around what was to become North America in the Cretaceous geological period. Dolichorhynchops is a short-necked Plesiosaur and it has been surprisingly popular, usurping Liopleurodon as being our most requested marine reptile for drawing materials. Palaeontologists tend to call these stiff-limbed, reptiles – “Dollies”.

New Entry at Number 10 – “Dollies”

“Long Snout Face” in at number ten.

Picture Credit: Everything Dinosaur

9. Woolly Mammoth

Just ahead of the marine reptile, in at number nine is the only prehistoric mammal on our list – the Woolly Mammoth. The popularity of this prehistoric animal has been helped by the release of the fourth film in the Ice Age series, which features a number of Ice Age prehistoric creatures including one of the central characters – “Manny” the Woolly Mammoth. This film in conjunction with the extension of the impressive Papo model range to include models of a juvenile and a baby Woolly Mammoth has helped this relative of extant elephants secure the number nine slot on our countdown.

A Woolly Mammoth Family

The introduction of new Woolly Mammoth models helped cement this Ice Age animal in our top ten.

Picture Credit: Everything Dinosaur

8. Diplodocus

The first dinosaur on our list – Diplodocus, one of the most popular of all the Jurassic, long-necked dinosaurs but not the most popular Sauropod in this compendium. The life-size replica of Diplodocus carnegiei which can be seen at a number of Natural History Museums around the world has contributed to this dinosaur’s enduring popularity. At something like thirty metres in length it is one of the longest dinosaurs known from the Jurassic. This plant-eating dinosaur is often a mainstay in dinosaur documentaries and its sizeable presence in museums has enabled this Diplodocid to find itself at number eight.

Carnegie Diplodocus Dinosaur Model (Safari Ltd)

An impressive model for an impressive dinosaur.

Picture Credit: Everything Dinosaur

7. Pteranodon

A flying reptile soars in at number seven, the only member of the Pterosauria within the top ten and the highest placed non-Dinosaurian prehistoric animal in this compilation. The Pterosaur is Pteranodon, a Late Cretaceous giant that flew over the Western Interior Seaway where the marine reptile Dolichorhynchops could be found. With a wingspan in excess of seven metres and a strange, backward-pointing head crest, Pteranodon is featured in a number of popular prehistoric animal model series. For example, both Collecta and Papo, plus Bullyland of Germany have a Pteranodon replica in their model ranges.

A Colourful Pteranodon Drawing (Pair of Flying Reptiles)

A colourful pair of flying reptiles.

Picture Credit: Everything Dinosaur

6. Brachiosaurus

Just out of the top five comes the mighty Brachiosaurus, that like Diplodocus, a Sauropod and one from the Late Jurassic geological period. By a considerable margin, this dinosaur is the heaviest to be featured on this list. Palaeontologists have estimated the weight of this colossal plant-eater to be perhaps as much as fifty metric tonnes. Safari Ltd of the United States introduced a new 1:50 scale model of Brachiosaurus earlier in this year and this new model, part of the company’s Carnegie Collectibles range as proved to be very popular. In addition, in the autumn of 2012 Papo of France finally released their long awaited model of Brachiosaurus. This too, has proved to be a must-have for dinosaur fans of all ages. The introduction of these new sculpts have helped secure Brachiosaurus the position of the highest ranked Sauropod in this listing. However, it is not the most popular Jurassic dinosaur, nor is it the most popular herbivorous dinosaur in this 2012 compilation. The answers will be revealed when part two of this compendium, the countdown from number five to number one is published.